Posts

Showing posts from March 26, 2018

Foxconn buys Belkin, Linksys, and Wemo

Image
The company known best for manufacturing iPhones, Foxconn, will soon be the company behind some of the best known routers and other computer accessories. A subsidiary of Foxconn, Foxconn Interconnect Technology, announced today that it would acquire Belkin, which also owns the brands Linksys and Wemo. Belkin has been around for 35 years and is known today for creating an array of computer and phone accessories, including wireless chargers, laptop docks, and phone cases. Belkin purchased Linksys, which is well known for its home routers, in 2013. And it’s been running a smart home system called Wemo for more than five years now. That’s a major shift for Foxconn, taking it from a behind-the-scenes manufacturing partner to the owner of... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2I5fe11"

Astronomers think they saw a star exploding out of a giant gas bubble

Image
Space Basically just a cosmic cocoon. It appeared as a flash of light on the arm of a distant spiral galaxy. It outshone neighboring stars, an attention-grabbing display of brilliance that peaked after 2.2… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2ISKd1A"

Bitcoiin founders and brand ambassador Steven Seagal depart after raising over $75 million

Image
Actor Steven Seagal started supporting the “Bitcoiin” cryptocurrency last year as the new token’s brand ambassador. Now that relationship is over, as Bitcoiin posted a statement today that Seagal and the unnamed founders of the coin were walking away from the project since the token sale has ended. “From this point on Bitcoiin will function within its ecosystem and become a genuinely anonymous currency with no individual or individuals having control over the entity!” the post declares. Bitcoiin has been a dubious coin since its launch and this mysterious exit, which removes the only recognizable figure associated with the coin — Steven Seagal — doesn’t help. It’s also unknown how much money the ICO raised, although Bitcoiin said it... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pHmxoS"

Last week in tech: Facebook and Uber probably wish they could hider under a sheet of ketchup

Image
Technology Oh, and soon you can buy ketchup in sheets. Catch up on the big tech news from this week including Facebook's data scandal and a fatal self-driving car accident. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2G8Rblr"

Man with excellent taste in music controls his Google speakers with RFID tags

Image
Define “useful.” I mean, sure, it’s not hard to talk to Google or Alexa and ask for music. They mishear you half the time, but that’s probably your fault. So why would you bother to print and craft dozens of custom RFID tags to control your music? Don’t you have must-see television to be watching? Well, someone named “hoveeman” on GitHub and YouTube can’t hear the haters because he’s too busy listening to the Trolls soundtrack and Pet Sounds on his custom-built, whole-home, RFID-controlled audio system, which was recently spotted by Android Police . Hoveeman wired an RFID reader to a Raspberry Pi Zero and hid them under a table. When he swipes one of his album art-adorned RFID tags, the Pi Zero informs his Home Assistant home automation... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pIgcZH"

Europol arrests suspect in bank heists that stole $1.2 billion using malware

Image
After a four year investigation, Europol announced it has arrested the suspected leader of a crime syndicate that stole $1.2 billion from over 100 banks in more than 40 countries using malware. According to Europol, the suspect was arrested by the Spanish National Police in Alicante, Spain, with support from the FBI, Romanian, Belarusian, and Taiwanese authorities, along with cybersecurity companies. Beginning in 2013, the crime syndicate used multiple malware campaigns — the first called Anunak, followed by more complex versions known as Carbanak and Cobalt — to access bank employees’ computers using phishing scams, and then take over bank systems and access the servers that controlled ATMs. The group used that access to remotely... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2IWMRnc"

HQ’s Ready Player One and Nike ad deals show just how lucrative mobile audiences can be

Image
Mobile trivia game show HQ has landed its first high-profile pair of sponsorships slated to debut this week: a Ready Player One tie-in courtesy of Warner Bros. and a surprise giveaway in conjunction with Nike’s celebratory Air Max Day . The marketing deals mean HQ, which hosts twice-daily live trivia games that give away real cash, will be more than able to cover the cost of larger-than-normal prize pools on top of experimenting with its ongoing and unprecedented live video format. According to AdAge , which first reported the news of the RPO deal, HQ will host a $250,000 game this Wednesday that will feature questions related to the film adaptation of Ernest Cline’s VR-focused pop culture love letter. It’s not clear if HQ will also run... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2G8nwZA"

Here's how Popular Science covered 'Star Trek' in 1967

Image
Science From the December '67 issue: 'TV's Star Trek: How they mix science fact with fiction.' You're ready to believe that the fantastic adventures of television's popular spacemen will be possible in 200 years, for their "science" is a logical projection of… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pHauao"

Beijing Film Festival removes Oscar-winning Call Me By Your Name from its roster

Image
The Beijing International Film Festival has dropped the Oscar-winning gay romance Call Me By Your Name , a move that highlights the lack of progress for LGBTQ rights in China. The censorship of the film occurred just days after China shifted control of all its film and media to the Department of Propaganda and, on the digital front, banned video spoofs and parodies . The film festival, set for this April, had planned to show Call Me By Your Name (directed by Luca Guadagnino), a film about a romance between a 17-year-old boy and a college graduate student taking place in Italy in the 1980s. An anonymous source told Reuters the screening proposal didn’t pass through the regulators’ scrutiny. Call Me By Your Name was an Oscar nominee for... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Gwlr9h"

Google is blocking uncertified devices from running Google apps, but it will make an exception for custom ROMs

Image
Android is an open-source operating system, so in addition to the “blessed” version that Google distributes to major manufacturers, a million other varieties have blossomed. If your Android device is certified by Google, you’re allowed to distribute Google’s official Android apps (such as the Play Store, Maps, etc.) on it. If you’re not certified — common examples are Amazon’s Fire OS tablets and also most Chinese phones sold in China — you aren’t supposed to ship those apps. Technical users typically resort to sideloading Google’s apps if they want them, but there are also some less-reputable manufacturers that ship Google software without permission. Well, here comes the crackdown . Google is now checking the build date of your Android... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2uhgHze"

Can exercising the mind improve our abilities, or is it just another self-improvement fantasy?

Image
Science Scientists still aren’t sure why brain training only works for some people. Scientists still aren’t sure why brain training only works for some people. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2DWtwii"

These techniques are proven to boost certain cognitive functions

Image
Science Included: how memory athletes stuff their noggins with so much knowledge. Meditation, Sudoku puzzles, and techniques that help memory athletes stuff their noggins with so much knowledge. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2DXwTFA"

Microsoft’s Edge browser now available on iPad and Android tablets

Image
Microsoft started previewing its Edge browser for iPad earlier this month , and it’s now releasing it for everyone using an iPad or Android tablets today. Microsoft has mainly just scaled up the interface for the larger screen on iPads or Android tablets, and features like “continue on PC” remain, alongside options to change from a light to a dark theme. The iPad app is rather basic, especially if you’re using an iPad Pro. Microsoft hasn’t included iOS 11 split screen support, so you can’t run the browser alongside another app. Passwords will roam across Edge on Windows 10 to iPad and Android tablets, and the reading list and reading view features are both supported too. You can download Edge for iPad in Apple’s App Store , and the Android... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2GqGXft"

Daily Deal - X-Morph: Defense, 50% Off

Image
Today's Deal: Save 50% on X-Morph: Defense !* Look for the deals each day on the front page of Steam. Or follow us on twitter or Facebook for instant notifications wherever you are! *Offer ends Wednesday at 10AM Pacific Time via Steam RSS News Feed "https://ift.tt/2uqX0W0"

Twitter will start banning cryptocurrency ads tomorrow

Image
Twitter will begin blocking cryptocurrency-related ads tomorrow, the company confirmed in a statement to The Verge. The move follows other social media platforms like Reddit back in 2016 , and more recently, Facebook and Google , which have already banned cryptocurrency ads. “We are committed to ensuring the safety of the Twitter community. As such, we have added a new policy for Twitter Ads relating to cryptocurrency,” the company says. “Under this new policy, the advertisement of Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and token sales will be prohibited globally.” Rumors initially circulated a week ago that Twitter would ban such ads. Earlier this month, the company began removing accounts that intentionally solicit cryptocurrency exchanges,... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2G7O7pz"

FCC chairman confirms plan to dissuade carriers from using Huawei and ZTE equipment

Image
FCC chairman Ajit Pai has just issued a statement that confirms last week’s report from The Wall Street Journal on a coming proposal meant to deter US carriers and wireless providers from purchasing gear made by China-based companies such as Huawei and ZTE. The proposal would “bar the use of money from the FCC’s Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment or services from companies that pose a national security threat to United States communications networks or the communications supply chain.” Pai’s statement never directly mentions Huawei or ZTE by name, but the initiative is clearly designed to keep them out of the backend of US network infrastructure. Senior FCC officials confirmed that both companies are referenced in the... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2I6klxU"

The first Chrome OS tablet is here

Image
Chrome OS has run on laptops, desktops, convertibles, and all-in-ones, but until today, it hasn’t run on a tablet. That changes with the Acer Chromebook Tab 10, the first tablet to run Chrome OS. Acer’s Chromebook Tab 10 is very much meant to rival the iPad, and that’s particularly notable since it’s being announced just one day before Apple is supposed to announce a new low-cost model. The Tab 10 has a 9.7-inch, 2048 x 1536 display — just like the iPad — with front and rear facing cameras, an estimated nine hours of battery life, an OP1 processor , 4GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and a USB-C port. There’s also a Micro SD card slot and a headphone jack. But what’s particularly notable is that the Tab 10 also has stylus support. And like... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pG1pQ5"

Silicon Valley’s season 5 opening credits include a Facebook Easter egg

Image
Season 5 of HBO’s Silicon Valley premiered last night, and there was a quick Easter egg in the intro credits for those who were paying attention. Take a look below to see it glaringly obvious in isolation. During the Silicon Valley opening credits, the Facebook logo flipped from English to Russian. First-rate burn by one of the best series on TV. pic.twitter.com/zvh9ZPd3td — Adam Best (@adamcbest) March 26, 2018 In light of all the recent Facebook scandals that occurred while Silicon Valley was off the air, producers of the show poked fun at the social network by shifting Facebook’s logo from its original alphabets to Cyrillic letters that spell out ГДÇЭБФФЖ. It’s a quick and subtle reference to the fake news allegations that... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2ITtET7"

Is Blockchain Really Disruptive in Terms of Data Security?

Image
Despite the fact that Blockchain technology is widely associated with cryptocurrency and is primarily known as the innovation pushing Bitcoin and Bitcoin price up, experts have been predicting a much longer list of industries that it will disrupt due to its features. Blockchain can provide transparency, decentralization, efficiency, security, and other benefits, revolutionizing multiple industries. In addition to predictions that Blockchain will improve the world of data security, experts have listed well over a dozen other industries it will transform, including: Banking Supply Chain Management Insurance Cloud Storage Government Charity Online Music Energy Management Real Estate Retail The list goes on and on, with some even referring to Blockchain as “ the most disruptive technology in decades .” With Blockchain’s potential to add to data security along with other industries, the question becomes whether the technology behind cryptocurrency is as

The FTC confirms it’s investigating Facebook over its privacy practices

Image
The Federal Trade Commission has confirmed that it is investigating Facebook’s privacy practices after it was revealed that the company allowed Cambridge Analytica access to the personal data of some 50 million Facebook users without their expressed consent. “The FTC takes very seriously recent press reports raising substantial concerns about the privacy practices of Facebook. Today, the FTC is confirming that it has an open non-public investigation into these practices,” the agency said in a statement, after declining to comment last week when Bloomberg reported that an investigation has been opened. Specifically, the investigation seeks to find whether Facebook violated a consent decree — which requires the social network to obtain... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pIuiLe"

The new Toyota Corolla will have Apple CarPlay and Amazon’s Alexa

Half-Baked Security Approaches: What Cybersecurity Can Learn from Legal Weed

Image
There are plenty of examples of behaviors in everyday life that can be either legal or illegal. An easy example is marijuana. To determine whether or not somebody is illegally using the substance in the United States, you’d have to know (at least) which state they’re in, potentially their medical status, potentially their age, and the policies of their current specific location. Context matters tremendously, and just knowing that a person is using the drug is definitely not enough information.Others are likely not going to report the incident if they don’t have most or all of the information, as their information is of low confidence. Imagine if every time somebody observed a person using marijuana, they immediately called the police? Given this physical world example, why is it acceptable that the digital world—specifically detecting security incidents—is full of low-confidence reporting? In just about every way we have a more complete picture of the environment, but yet we still s

Scientists want YOU to help them study amphibious lil plants

Image
Nexus Media News Toddlers, teens and retirees are helping researchers understand how tiny plants respond to climate change. Microplants enlisted the help of 11,000 volunteers willing to spend time analyzing liverwort photos, either remotely online or via an in-person digital kiosk at one of… via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2pGnm1q"

New survey finds Americans’ trust in Facebook continues to decline

Image
American users trust other tech companies far more with their data than Facebook, according to a poll conducted by Reuters . The poll surveyed 2,237 adults from the US about their social media use and trust in tech companies over obeying government data privacy policies. Reuters ’ survey found that most people used Facebook throughout the day more than they used Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Snapchat, or Google+. But although people were more likely to be on Facebook, 51 percent either said they didn’t trust the platform at all or didn’t trust it very much. Although the poll didn’t explicitly ask about the Cambridge Analytica data breach that came to light two weeks ago, the timing of the poll coincides with when the public found... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2DWka5Y"

Nike's Flyknit 360 sneakers fit like 3D-printed socks

Image
Technology Weaving specific yarns into complex 3D patterns give Nike's Flyknit 360 shoes a secure fit. Nike's new Flyknit sneakers fit like futuristic sports socks. via Popular Science "https://ift.tt/2G7saHk"

Spotify told Wall Street it is going to have a very good year in 2018

Image
Ahead of its IPO, the streaming service is offering its first-ever guidance: Revenue, subs and margins will be up, operating losses will go down Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Gd2Jjo"

Moog’s iconic Minimoog Model D is now a $5 iOS app

Image
Moog Music has launched an iOS app version of the Minimoog Model D, giving the hardware synth that was used by artists like Kraftwerk, Trent Reznor, and Gary Numan a faithful digital reproduction. The app launch comes just months after Moog said it was discontinuing building new Minimoog Model D synths due to it “being consumed at a much higher rate than anticipated.” The main portion of the app is a faithful visual analogy to the hardware counterpart, down to the mimicked wood cabinetry and metal hinge above the keyboard. But the company has taken some liberties and added capabilities exclusive to the app. While the hardware Minimoog Model D is monophonic (produces only one note at a time), the app has the option to play chords with up... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2Gq13Xd"

Facebook’s switch to prioritizing local news has expanded to all countries and languages

Image
Facebook has announced that it’s rolling out more local news on users’ feeds through a tweak to its algorithms. The change was initially only in the US beginning in January , but today, Facebook is expanding its efforts to all countries and languages. It’s an effort to try to promote less content from global publishers and prioritize content from more relevant local publishers. Facebook rolled out the change to address criticism from users and media that the platform was getting too political and that agents from the Russian government had tried to interfere with the 2016 US presidential election through Facebook. Back in January, CEO Mark Zuckerberg commented on the change , saying, “Local news helps us understand the issues that matter... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2G7CJtZ"

Alibaba opens car vending machine in China that gives free test drives for people with good social credit

Image
Alibaba and Ford signed a deal to form a partnership last year that would see both companies working together on new technological opportunities. Now, the companies have opened a cat-themed car vending machine in Guangzhou, China, that lets customers easily test-drive Ford vehicles they’re looking to buy. The “Super Test-Drive Center” is an unstaffed, digital vending machine that works with the Tmall app. Users select the car model they’re interested in, put down a deposit electronically, schedule a pickup time, and snap a selfie so the vending machine can recognize them when they pick up the car for a test drive. The test drives are free, as long as customers have a very respectable social credit score of 700 or above. In China, the... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pFAHXP"

Fitbit’s Versa is its best smartwatch yet

Image
The Versa is better than Fitbit’s earlier smartwatches, but it still has issues Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2pFFUii"

Watch a giant industrial drone de-ice a huge wind turbine

Image
We’re still riding a wave of drone innovation as companies dream up new ways to put this cheap flight technology to use. But here’s an application you’ve probably never seen before: using a giant tethered drone to de-ice a wind turbine. The drone itself is built by Latvian firm Aerones, which specializes in heavy-duty UAVs. These powerful craft have up to 36 propellors and can lift as much as 100 kilograms. Aerones has been making them for years and says they have a range of potential uses, including help in rescue scenarios , firefighting in high-rise buildings, delivery, and industrial cleaning. It’s the cleaning that gets spotlighted in the video above ( via IEEE Spectrum ). One of the drones is seen knocking snow and ice off the... Continue reading… via The Verge - Tech Posts "https://ift.tt/2G734YZ"